First Comes Friendship, Then Comes Marriage
by Aradia Lestat-Ming Ue
Summary: Remake When an old friend from Trent's past comes back new feelings, friendships and relationships are formed. Ravy, Trench, Ivy/David, Oc/?


A/N: After reading White Witch, Black Curse (grr) I decided to remake my other Hollows story to fix things up instead of continuing something that was a mess. A few changes were made. Hope you enjoy this.

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"**Tonight ladies and gentlemen, Cincinnati's own Trenton Kalamack turns twenty-nine years old today. The city's most eligible bachelor will be celebrating his last birthday in the twenties on the S.S. Pandora, a yacht that he purchased recently in Greece. After receiving a small sample of the guest list it promises to be a treat, with music performance by Takata. Mr. Kalamack stated a year ago that he planned to get married before he turns thirty. With the previous failed marriage, caused by runner Rachel Morgan, that leaves all us ladies a small chance of being the next Mrs. Kalamack. This has been a Channel 12 exclusive."**

Pierce turned off the television with a scoff and turned back to the mirror, adjusting his tie. "I can't believe these people worship a murderer," he grumbled under his breath.

"At least he doesn't have a dead man's body," Jenks muttered next to Rachel, who waved her hand at him with a glare.

"Jenks behave," she warned before turning to Pierce, her voice getting a little softer. "You don't have to go Pierce, I don't need an escort."

"I refuse to leave you alone with that man."

"She won't be alone ghost-boy, she has me," Jenks said puffing out his chest. "Although, you always seem to like being where you are not wanted."

"Jenks!" Rachel warned once more, trying not to lose her temper as she tried to control her wild curls. "Cut it out the both of you. Trent invited me to this party. Rachel. Not Rachel and guest. I don't have to bring anyone with me."

"Rache!" Jenks whined placing his hand over his lips. "Don't blame me just because your boyfriend has a bad attitude."

Rachel was tired of explaining over and over and over again that Pierce was not her boyfriend. As much as she wanted to act on her inner-Rachel instincts, she learned from Kisten's sacrifice that love was more than just lustful emotions. If anything was going to happen between her and Pierce there had to be something other than attraction in the equation.

"Then just don't talk to each other for Turn's sake! Besides, since when do you care about what Trent is called?"

Jenks's face got serious as he raised his body up to its full height. "He may be a murderer, but he did more good than this body snatcher has. Have fun Rachel." The pixie flew off leaving an angry trail of dust behind him.

Frowning Rachel wondered what was going on with him. Pierce's arrival had only been the beginning of Jenks's sour mood, which she attributed to Matalina's condition. However, she had been improving greatly in the past few weeks.

_Maybe it's the weather?_ She thought as she finally managed to make her short curls stay in a bun. It had taken about twenty safety pins and some damage to her scalp, but it was complete. "Alright are you ready Pierce?" she asked turning to look at him.

Leave it to Pierce to make Tom's body look good. His dark hair was slicked back exposing the brightness of his eyes. The suit he was wearing was fit to the new muscles that he had been working on since getting the once lanky body. All and all he looked good. Like James Bond good.

_Rachel Candy. _

Giving herself a mental face slap she shook that phrase out of her mind. "Candy leaves cavities," she muttered.

"Are you alright Mistress…I mean Rachel?" Pierce asked placing a warm hand on her shoulder.

Rachel nodded and slid her pocketbook over her shoulder. "I'm fine. Let's go before Ivy and Glenn start wondering where we are."

0o0o0

"Sah'han, everything is coming together nicely," Jon said as he observed the monitors in the control room of the yacht.

Trent sat in the chair, his head tilted back in frustration. This party was not his idea, nor did he have any desire to be surrounded by people who didn't give a damn about anything besides money.

"It's never hard to collect a group of socialites in one place," Trent responded pinching his brow slightly. "Did the limo pick up Felicia yet?"

Trent didn't even have to look to know that Jon had a frown on his face at the mention of Trent's oldest friend. "Yes, Quen called me, they are almost here." Jon let out a sigh. "I don't know why you even want her here. She didn't attend your wedding."

"Can you really blame her?" Trent asked with a small smirk. "_I _didn't even want to attend my wedding."

That didn't soothe Jon. "She always causes a scene. She's just like that damn Morgan."

Now it was Trent's turn to frown. For the past few weeks he had been trying to keep Rachel out of his mind. Every time he was around her, he could feel something change inside of it. She challenged him at every crossroad and each time, she would win, even if it seemed like his victory.

All his resolve, everything his father had taught him was being questioned. He lives his whole life believing in his father's cause. Why did he have to doubt it now, when everything was finally going right?

_So did you invite her to your party you idiot?_ Trent's mind scolded.

He had been wondering the same thing since he sent out the damn invitation. He told himself that it was really just so he could see Jenks and talk to him about how the treatment was helping his wife. However, he didn't need anyone to tell him that was lie.

Wanting to see Rachel and not wanting to see he was like an emotional paradox that ripped at his brain.

_I wonder if she has used the charm yet?_

"I have returned Sah'han," Quen said walking through the door dressed in his usual black. Ceri was by his side looking ready to drop from the load she was carrying. Even now it was hard to believe that his friend and father-figure was having a baby.

Looking by Quen he saw that Felicia was no where to be seen. "Where is Felicia?"

"Oh, she wanted to mingle with the other guests," Quen explained.

"She is a very charming young woman, Trenton," Ceri said nodding her head in approval.

Jon scoffed and folded his arms over his small chest. "Charming? More like conniving. She always had you wrapped around her little finger Quen. Having her call you dad and all kinds of crap like that."

Quen glared at Jon and shook his head in disappointment. "The way you talk about her, you make it seem like she something to you."

Jon didn't answer and just turned back to the monitors, allowing his frustrations to be taken out by spying on the people.

Trent just sighed and stood up buttoning the last few buttons of his coat. "Well since she's here, I guess we can begin the torture."

"You know we can always call it off. I could pretend to go into labor after your speech," Ceri suggested with a playful smile.

Trent chuckled and shook his head. "No, I'm a masochist, I enjoy torturing myself."

"Which explains why you invited Morgan and Felicia," Jon muttered.

Trent cast him one more glare before leaving the room, Quen and Ceri following behind him.

0o0o0

"It's like the damn red carpet," Rachel said as she observed the legions of people who had gathered to pay tribute to Trent's money. She was pretty damn sure that they didn't really care about his birthday. It was almost tragic, all these people and still lonely.

"Pathetic, it's like roaches," Pierce commented, the disgust rolling off his voice in waves.

With a slight elbow to the chest, Rachel looked up at her escort. "Do you have to be so mean to the guy? I mean it is his birthday."

"I don't see why you and Jenks are protecting a murder? He should be brought to justice and stripped all of his grander his family paid blood for."

"Shh!" Rachel hushed him peaking around for any ease droppers. "Trust me no one wants justice more than me, but I am not going to let it happen this way. Later."

How long ago had Rachel wished to take Trent down and have the whole world know about it? Now she was trying to protect the guy. A part of her understood why he did what he did, but she still couldn't agree to his actions.

Spotting a bar, Rachel felt the urge to get a quick drink. "I'll be right back," she told Pierce before heading over.

The bar was empty, except for a brown-skinned woman who sat in a short, grey, sweater dress. A full glass of wine was in her hand as her finger circled the mouth of the glass. Her chestnut hair was pulled back in a bun.

Rachel turned to the bartender. "I would like your strongest non-wine drink please."

The man nodded and poured Rachel a glass of something blue and put a small cherry on top of it. Rachel looked at it curiously. "What is this?"

"It's a Blue Elf," the woman at the bar said with a grin. "It's a new drink that's just hit the streets."

"Is it any good?"

"It is…if you like elf," the woman teased before raising her glass to her lips. The crowd went quiet as Trent came up on stage.

Rachel turned to look at him, her fingers wrapped loosely around the Blue Elf drink.

"I would like to thank all of you for coming to celebrate my birthday. Are all enjoying yourselves?" Trent asked, throwing a charming smile at the crowd.

"Yes!" they yelled back to him excitedly, it was like he was a rock star. Yet, as Rachel looked at him underneath his charming smile, she could tell he just wanted to be away.

"Oh, he is so sexy," a blonde woman, who came next to the dark haired woman, said with a purr. "I would love to give him a private celebration."

The brunette let out a laugh and finished off her drink with a sigh of refreshment. "As if he would want anything to do with you."

"Excuse me!" The blonde woman exclaimed putting her hands on her hips. "Do you know who I am? I am Samantha Arthur, daughter of the CEO of Riley Industries America."

"Your point would be?"

The blonde woman gasped and her face turned a deep shade of red. "How dare you! You…you…bitch!"

Rachel didn't have time to react as the dark-haired woman raised her hand and made a flicking motion with her middle and thumb finger. The woman went flying into the air and landed onto an older man; her dress flew up slightly, reveling her lacy underwear. Obviously she was trying to impress someone.

Pierce came over to Rachel quickly touching her arm. "I felt someone use magic. Is everything alright?"

"Well she's the one who used magic," Rachel said pointing to the woman. "But I think that woman is pretty pissed."

Pierce's eyes widened and he took a small step back, slightly alarmed. Rachel's eyebrows came together in concern. "What's wrong Pierce?"

The crowd's attention turned away from Trent, towards the two women. One man helped pick the woman up who was going into a rage.

"Arrest her! I want that bitch done!"

The woman broke into a loud, hysteric laugh. "You're the one who's done Miss. Arthur. You are fired."

Samantha's face went pale, almost vampire-like. "What are you talking about?"

"Well you may be Samantha Arthur, daughter of the CEO of Riley Industries America, doll face, but I'm Felicia Jasmine Riley, daughter of the founder of Riley Industries. So I think that makes me more important than you, huh?" Felicia asked with a smirk on her face.

"Felicia Riley is also in some very big trouble," Trent said approaching Felicia with a scowl.

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**This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful beta reader and ThoughtCriminal who waited for this story for a long week. **


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